Earliest Known Van Halen Interview (with Roth) 1977

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311boogieman

311boogieman

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This was just posted on VHND and I got a kick out of DLR's answers and confidence. :yes: :yes: :yes:

http://www.vhnd.com/2014/04/01/unearthe ... view-1977/



Excerpts:

Roth - “Van Halen started in bars playing top 40 and shit. We started in little bathroom places and now we’re at the Whisky, and we’re probably gonna take over the world, soon as our record comes out on Warner Bros."

What are your major influences?

Roth "Our major influences are my cock, Schlitz Malt Liquor, fast cars, loud music, volume. You know, all the usual."

What will your album be titled?

Roth - "Our album will be titled “Van Halen” so the world can be familiar with its new leaders. And the second album will be, ah, you know – “Terrestrial Truths,” or some bullshit."

After the album, do you plan to do a major tour?

Roth - "Oh, absolutely. We’re gonna do major tours all over the galaxy man. We’re gonna do Solar Systems, we’re gonna explore space, the final frontier. Man we’re gonna seek out the unknown, and life where it exists, we’re boldly gonna go where no rock band has ever gone before."

Have you ever been in any other groups before this?

Roth - "New Wave, Old Wave. I’m gonna tell ya, man, the ’80s are here and I’m the air conditioned pioneer. We’re gonna lead the wave man. We’re gonna surf the wave; we’re gonna hang ten on the new wave; we’re gonna ride that wave all the way up the beach onto the street. We’re gonna grab some honeys in some bikinis, and take that new wave all the way to the other side, man. How’s that?"

Who formed Van Halen?

Roth - "The Lord, on the first day. No, man, Van Halen was always together. You know – the Van Halen brothers – Edward plays guitar and Alex plays drums. They’ve been playin’ together for a long time. I’ve always been jumping around making a lot of noise. Mike Anthony, our bass player, lives right next door to everybody, so we just got together and decided, you know, to get workin’, try to make enough money to save up and get some motorcycles."

I’m out of questions. Say something.

Roth - "Yes, kids, it’s no use trying to put it off. Van Halen is here, and you’re just gonna have to start saving up your allowance for the record. It’s gonna be out pretty soon. It’s gonna have a whole bunch of neat songs on it about sex, drugs, world travel, violence, you know. We’re out there. We just want to make music – loud noise, man, loud noise. Loud noise, man."



About Raw Power magazine: From 1976 to 1979, the magazine managed to pull off some classic interviews and even altered the course of rock history. The teenage trio of Scott, Robert & Murray and their ever growing entourage were regulars at clubs like the Whiskey A Go-Go on Sunset Strip and the Starwood in West Hollywood

Read more: http://www.vhnd.com/2014/04/01/unearthe ... z2xhJespCV
 
Roth...Animated as ever,
even in a Magazine article.
Early Halen....It's Hard to get
better than that!! :rock:
 
Roth, the same as he's always been. Hilarious.
 
The last question should have been "Your guitar player wouldn't use a STOCK Plexi on the first album, would he?"
 
Awesome!

And that's why he was out in front of musician's that, arguably, were beter at what they did than he was at being a vocalist. He had the balls and attitude to put on a show worthy of the music.

:thumbsup:
 
When music was about having fun!!! Great stuff!!! :rock: :rock: :rock:
 
Inca Roads":xb05hym2 said:
Roth...Animated as ever,
even in a Magazine article.
Early Halen....It's Hard to get
better than that!! :rock:
Click to expand...


What? Did you say something? I really couldn't decipher the text with that GIF staring me in the face and my eyes bobbing up and down. [Drool...]
 
some times I think DRL was born talking that way, you cant teach mojo like that son!!
 
:rock: :rock: :rock:


Speaking of old Van Halen - this was just posted on VHND as well.

http://www.vhnd.com/2014/04/04/40-years ... set-strip/


Excerpts:



Forty years ago today, Van Halen broke out of the backyard party scene—playing their very first concert on the infamous Sunset Strip! Their gig at Gazzarri’s on April 4th, 1974 was their first performance in Hollywood. Landing this gig helped catapult the band out of Pasadena’s backyard beer bashes, and thrust them headfirst into Tinseltown! This historic date was a true milestone—their gateway to playing more area clubs on the strip—such as the Starwood and the Whisky—and ultimately being discovered. Here is the story…

In 1972, a musical trio called Genesis began their world conquest, playing high school gigs, backyard parties, weddings, wet t-shirt contests, and everywhere in between. The group was comprised of Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alex Van Halen on drums, and Mark Stone on bass. As the band’s popularity grew, they changed their name to Mammoth

By 1974 they hired Dave Roth, a singer from the local group Red Ball Jet. They went with Dave’s immediate suggestion to change their name to Van Halen. He knew that the only way to be seen by somebody important was to play Hollywood. He got the other guys on board, and they tirelessly auditioned for the club circuit.

Beginning April 4th, when Eddie was just 18 years old and the other members 20, they scored their first steady gig—a regular spot at Gazzarri’s Teen Dance Club in Hollywood, playing cover songs for over three hours a night. Eddie bought platform shoes for the occasion and nearly broke his ankles. Their sets consisted mostly of cover tunes at first, but they would sneak in originals as often as they could. Roth honed his stagecraft by emceeing the dance contest between singing songs. His joining the band had opened the door to Hollywood—club owner Bill Gazzarri famously called him “Van,” assuming the band was named after the singer.

After two years of hustling at Gazzarri’s, Van Halen took a slot on May 9, 1976, opening for the lethal British rock squadron UFO at the Golden West Ballroom in Norwalk. Usually Van Halen were happy to slip a couple originals into the playlist, but that night they made a major decision to perform mostly their own songs. Their last show at Gazzarri’s was Oct 17th, 1976, ending their two-and-a-half-year run at the club. By then, Van Halen had begun their move towards superstardom, playing the Starwood, the Whisky, the Pasadena Hilton, Walter Mitty’s Rock & Roll Emporium, and more.


again, the source of the material is:

Read more: http://www.vhnd.com/2014/04/04/40-years ... z2xy4OQll2













 
David Lee Roth sent this into VHND after they posted the Gazzarri article


 
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